The technological race in the automotive industry is no longer limited to batteries, autonomy or autonomous driving. Hyundai and Kia have focused attention on another aspect that could become increasingly important in the coming years, the health quality of the environment inside the vehicle.

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The South Korean companies presented an experimental technology called Plasma Care UVC, a solution designed to reduce the presence of microorganisms in the cabin air even when there are people on board.

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This is a different proposal from the traditional purification systems that currently equip many vehicles.

A special light to combat microorganisms

The development is based on the use of Far-UVC radiation, a variant of ultraviolet light that operates between 200 and 230 nanometers. According to Hyundai and Kia, this range allows it to act on bacteria and viruses without penetrating the deep layers of the skin or affecting the eyes in the same way as other conventional UVC technologies.

The idea is to intervene directly on the microorganisms that circulate in the interior environment of the vehicle, instead of limiting itself to filtering or treating the air through other methods.

In addition to contributing to cabin hygiene, the system could help reduce odors associated with the accumulation of bacteria, something especially useful in taxis, delivery vehicles, school transportation and future autonomous mobility services.

A complex challenge within a small space

Bringing this technology to the interior of a car involved overcoming several challenges. The available space is limited, the electronic components are numerous and the occupants remain very close to the irradiation source.

To solve these difficulties, engineers developed a specific plasma lamp accompanied by optical control systems and solutions aimed at optimizing energy consumption.

Work was also done to ensure stable operation against vibrations, temperature changes and the demands of everyday use.

Promising results in the laboratory

The brands assure that the project has been subjected to various tests together with research centers and specialized laboratories in South Korea.

One of the tests carried out by the Korea Testing Laboratory showed a 96.8% reduction in airborne viruses after 30 minutes of operation inside a chamber that reproduced the volume of a vehicle cabin.

On the other hand, a study developed together with Seoul National University recorded a 99.9% elimination of certain bacteria associated with pneumonia in just 30 seconds of exposure. After one minute, the elimination was total under the conditions analyzed.

It was also tested on a real vehicle

The research did not stop only in controlled environments. Hyundai and Kia installed the system in a Kia PV5 to evaluate its performance in conditions closer to reality.

According to the results obtained together with the Korean Institute of Automotive Technology, the technology managed to eliminate 99.9% of E. coli bacteria after 40 minutes of irradiation.

Despite these advances, Plasma Care UVC is not yet ready to reach dealerships. The project remains in the development phase and must pass new stages of validation, certification and regulatory approval before becoming a commercial technology.

If it finally overcomes all these processes, it could find an important place in the next generation of vehicles intended for passenger transport, urban logistics and autonomous mobility services, where maintaining a clean environment could become a characteristic as valued as safety or efficiency.